007 First Light Score — Metacritic, Reviews & Is It Worth It?
The 007 First Light score is in: an 88 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, the best a James Bond game has reviewed since GoldenEye. This page does what the aggregators don’t — it gives you the number with its source, then a plain-language verdict, a Bond-franchise score table, and spoiler-free pros and cons so you can decide whether it’s worth buying.
Critic consensus across ~65 reviews. Platform split: PS5 88 · Xbox Series X 88 · PC 86. User score sits at 8.7.
97% of critics recommend it, earning OpenCritic’s “Mighty” tier — its second-highest band, putting 007 First Light among 2026’s best-reviewed games.
Its 88 is the second-highest score any James Bond game has ever earned, behind only GoldenEye 007’s 96 — and it is IO Interactive’s own highest-rated game to date.
Sources: Metacritic & OpenCritic aggregate pages for 007 First Light. We cite the aggregator and capture date and don’t print a review score of our own — this is a guide site, not a review outlet.
Is 007 First Light Worth It? The Score, Read Plainly
Yes — by the numbers, 007 First Light is a hit. An 88 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic puts it firmly in “buy it” territory: it is the best-reviewed James Bond game in nearly thirty years and IO Interactive’s highest-scoring title ever. The 007 First Light score reflects a confident, cinematic spy thriller rather than a cash-in, and the critic split — 94% positive, 6% mixed, 0% negative — means almost no reviewer actively warns you off it.
Buy it now if…
- You want a story-driven, single-player spy thriller — the campaign is the whole pitch, and it’s the part critics rate most highly.
- You enjoy IO Interactive’s Hitman-style systemic stealth, now rebuilt around a younger James Bond origin story.
- You value presentation: the cinematic set-pieces, the original score and the blockbuster production values are recurring praise points.
- You want a complete experience at launch — a roughly 20-hour main story with extra challenge and collectible content, no live-service strings.
Hold off if…
- You mainly play multiplayer — 007 First Light is a single-player game, full stop.
- Stealth isn’t for you: a minority of reviews felt the action and gunplay are competent rather than class-leading.
- You’re on PC and want a flawless launch — PC’s 86 trails the 88 console scores, and some reviews flag the usual launch-window technical niggles.
- You’d rather wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 version (Q3 2026), a sale, or a patch or two before diving in.
Buyer guidance is our synthesis of the critic consensus behind the 007 First Light review scores — not a score we’re assigning ourselves.
007 First Light Score vs Every Bond Benchmark
A number means little without a coordinate. Here is how the 007 First Light review score lands against the Bond games it’s measured against — the all-time best, the modern high-water mark, and the reboot itself. Figures are Metacritic, captured June 2026.
| Bond game | Year | Score | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoldenEye 007 | 1997 | 96 | The N64 classic — still the highest-rated James Bond game ever made, and the bar 007 First Light is measured against. |
| 007 First Light★ this game | 2026 | 88 | IO Interactive’s origin-story reboot — the second-highest-scoring Bond game of all time and IO’s own best-reviewed release. |
| Everything or Nothing | 2004 | 83 | The previous high-water mark for a modern Bond game — 007 First Light clears it comfortably. |
Before 007 First Light, IO Interactive’s highest-rated game was Hitman 3 at 87. First Light’s 88 makes the Bond reboot the studio’s best-reviewed title — a notable result for a brand-new franchise built on roughly a $200M budget.
What the Review Scores Praise — and Flag
Why the score is high
- A confident, cinematic origin story with a well-received take on a younger James Bond.
- Slick blend of stealth and action — the “spy fantasy” reviewers repeatedly call out.
- High production values: set-piece variety, strong presentation and an original score.
- IO Interactive’s systemic, sandbox-style mission design carried over from Hitman.
What holds it back
- A minority of reviews found pacing or individual missions uneven across the campaign.
- Some critics rate the moment-to-moment gunplay as competent rather than genre-leading.
- Launch-window technical niggles appear in a few reviews; PC (86) trails console (88).
- It’s single-player only — there’s no multiplayer or co-op on offer.
Aggregate scores move as new reviews land. As of June 2, 2026, both Metacritic and OpenCritic sit at 88; you may see 87 or 89 quoted elsewhere depending on when that source captured the figure and which platform it weighted. We cite the aggregator and the date rather than averaging sources together or inventing a single “official” number — and we don’t add a review score of our own, because this is a guide site, not a review outlet.
Sold on the score and buying on PC? Make sure your rig clears the 007 First Light PC requirements first — the minimum is forgiving, but check your card before you commit.
What That 88 Score Looks Like
Official looks at the things reviewers point to when they explain the 007 First Light score — the cinematic presentation, the variety of set-pieces, and the production values that carry a brand-new Bond game to an 88.
007 First Light Score & Review FAQ
What is 007 First Light’s Metacritic score?
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As of June 2026, 007 First Light holds a Metacritic score of 88 (“Generally Favorable”), based on roughly 65 critic reviews. The score splits by platform — 88 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and 86 on PC — while the Metacritic user score sits around 8.7. Aggregate numbers shift slightly as more reviews are counted.
What is the 007 First Light OpenCritic score?
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On OpenCritic, 007 First Light has a Top Critic Average of 88 with 97% of critics recommending it, which earns it the “Mighty” tier — OpenCritic’s second-highest band. That puts the 007 First Light score among the best-reviewed games of 2026.
Is 007 First Light a good game — is it worth buying?
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By critical consensus, yes. An 88 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, with 97% of critics recommending it and a 94% / 6% / 0% positive-mixed-negative split, is a clear “buy it” signal. It’s strongest as a story-driven single-player spy thriller; if you only play multiplayer or bounce off stealth, weigh that before buying.
Is 007 First Light the best James Bond game ever?
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It’s the second-best by review score. Its 88 is the highest any Bond game has scored since GoldenEye 007’s 96 in 1997, and it comfortably beats the previous modern high of Everything or Nothing (83). So it’s widely called the best Bond game in nearly thirty years, but GoldenEye still holds the all-time top spot.
How does the 007 First Light score compare to other IO Interactive games?
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It’s IO Interactive’s highest-rated game ever. The studio’s previous best was Hitman 3 at 87 on Metacritic; 007 First Light’s 88 edges past it. For a brand-new franchise rather than an established series like Hitman, that’s a notable result.
What do the review scores praise and criticise?
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Praise centres on the cinematic origin-story narrative, the slick blend of stealth and action, strong production values and IO’s systemic mission design. The minority of mixed reviews tend to flag uneven pacing, gunplay that’s solid rather than class-leading, and launch-window technical niggles — with PC (86) scoring a touch below console (88).
Should I buy 007 First Light now or wait?
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If you want a polished single-player Bond campaign now, the 88 score backs buying it at launch. Reasons to wait: you’re on PC and want patches for early technical niggles, you’d prefer the Nintendo Switch 2 version due in Q3 2026, or you’re happy to hold out for a sale. There’s no live-service or multiplayer clock forcing you to play day one.
Decided? Start Here
This is an independent, unofficial 007 First Light score and review summary, not affiliated with IO Interactive. We aggregate published critic scores with their source and capture date and add our own buyer guidance; we do not assign a review score of our own, and single-source figures are marked as such. Aggregate numbers change as new reviews land.